Elina Svitolina ravages Rebecca Marino in straight sets at US Open

Elina Svitolina in action during her first-round match with Rebecca Marino of Canada at the US Open. 

Elina Svitolina cruised to victory in her opening round match at the US Open Monday. The fifth seed handled her first meeting against Rebecca Marino in a 6-2, 6-3 win on Court 17 at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. Svitolina’s well-rounded game was too much for the Canadian who had double-digit winners but too many errors to make her offense effective. 

The Canadian returned to New York for her third appearance and first in a decade, in hopes of making it her best run ever. Standing in her way was the Olympic bronze medalist, who didn’t fare well in Montreal and Cincinnati, but looked to best her semifinal finish from two years ago. Fatigue and just one day of rest since winning the Chicago tournament put a question mark on the Ukrainian’s readiness for a long journey. The 26-year-old, who showed some aches last Saturday would be expected to best the 30-year-old or experience another shocking opening round match. 

Svitolina opened the match playing through the first five points when Marino edged her way for a breakpoint. The fifth seed saved that and two more before she held serve after three breaks. The Canadian leveled with a better output than her opponent and held for the second time in the fourth. Svitolina made it three in a row from her end and broke Marino in the sixth for the lead. She went on from her statement on the court to take the next two games swiftly, ending the set in 30 minutes. 

The Ukrainian didn’t bring a lot of heat to her early victory on the Canadian, whose game damaged itself with 13 unforced errors and a 52 percent first serve, and just 29 percent won from the second serve. She continued to feel the heat when Svitolina scored a serve to love in the opening game. Marino got on the board in the third game but it was the fifth seed who remained in control of the score making it 3-1. 

The forehand of the Ukrainian gave her a 4-1 stance with just two games between herself and the second round. Marino gained a second victory before Svitolina made it 5-2 with her shot to win in on the Canadian’s service. The 30-year-old nearly had a serve to love in place, until the fifth seed got into the eighth. Despite not getting the shot to break, she opened the door to serve out the match herself. Showing tremendous ease, Svitolina closed out Marino, who couldn’t get the ball over on a return in one hour and three minutes.